Point-changing mechanism.



P. PESTALOZZA.

POINT CHANGING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 7, 1911.

SHEETI.

Patented Oct 3 SHEETS COLUMBIA PLANoGRAMi co., WASHINGTON. D. c

P. PBSTALOZZA.

POINT CHANGING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED 13120.7, 1911.

Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

m iiiQ'ezazan v P. PESTALOZZA.

POINT CHANGING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 7, 1911 1,075,851. Patented 0013.14, 1913.

3 SHEET S-SHEET 3.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPII C0.. WASHINGTON. o. c,

PAOLO PESTALOZZA, OF TURIN, ITALY.

POINT-CHANGING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented @ct. ME, 1913.

Application filed December '7, 1911. Serial No. 664,449.

T 0 all whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that I, PAOLO PESTALOZZA, engineer, a subject of the King of Italy, residing at Turin, Italy, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Point- Changing Mechanism; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to point changing mechanism for railways, tramways and the like, of the type actuated from a vehicle running over the track.

The present invention has for its object an improved mechanism of this type, which may be outlined broadly as containin ((6) members attached to the vehicle, and (5) members attached to the track, which in their turn may be looked upon as subdivided into two distinct parts, 2'. e. a device adapted to be actuated by the member mounted on the vehicle, and a device actuated by the first device and adapted to directly operate the changing of the points.

The operation of the improved mecha nism is accomplished in two distinct stages, viz: (I) In the first stage the members carried by the vehicle cooperate with the mem 'bers connected to the track to bring these latter into a position permitting the subsequent displacement of the points; (H) in the second stage the points are positively displaced, through the action of the weight of the vehicle operating directly and through the agency of the flange of one of the wheels acting on the members connected to the track.

The essential features of the improved mechanism according to the present invention are hereinafter described in detail and pointed out in the claims.

Several constructional forms of the improved mechanism are given by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 illustrates the first part of the mechanism connected to the track, in side elevation, Fig. 2 a similar view to Fig. 1 with the parts in different positions, Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical sections on the lines 3*, 3 and 4 4* of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic side elevation of all the members fixed to the vehicle, Fig. 6 is a section thereof on the line 6*, 6* of Fig. 5, Fig. 7 is a detail of a modified form of the parts attached to the vehicle, 8 shows in detail in elevation part section the central part of the sec- 0nd part of the mechanism connected to the track, Fig. 9 a plan view of Fig. 8, Fig. 10 a similar view to Fig. 9 with the parts in different position, Fig. 11 shows a slightly modified form of the mechanism of'Fig. S, Fig. 12 a plan View of Fig. 11, Fig. 13 shows in elevation and part section along line l3 l3 of Fig. 14, one of the details in larger scale; Fig. ll a top plan view of Fig. 13; Fig. 15 a top plan view of Fig. 13, with the lid and upper parts removed. Fig. 16 a sectional plan view under the lid of Fig. 13. Fig. 1'7, a half section on line 17"17 of Fig. 1e. 18 shows in elevation and part section the second part of the mechanism connected to the track in a complete manner and corresponds to Fig. 8; Fig. 19 a top plan view of 18 with the cover plates removed; Fig. 20 a similar view of Fig. 19 with the parts in different position. Fig. 21 illustrates diagrammatically the whole of the mechanism connected to the track.

The first part of the mechanism rigidly connected to the track (Figs. 1 to l) and (Fig. 21) is constituted essentially of a bell crank lever 1 fulcrumed on the shank of a bolt 2 fixed in the web of one of the rails 3 of the track; these rails in the case illustrated are of the ordinary grooved type. The vertical arm of the bell crank lever 1 is connected through a draw rod d in which is preferably inserted a compensation spring 5 and a tensioning device, 5, with the second part of the mechanism connected to the line. The other horizontal arm of the lever 1 owing to the constant pulling action to which the draw-rod l as will be subsequently seen, is subjected, is stopped in its normal position (Fig. 1) by a pawl 6 which is controlled by a spring 6 and can slide in a fixed housing 7. The other end of the pawl 6 carries a rod 6 which is beveled and abuts against an oblique face 8 of a vertical projection 8 provided on a cross piece 9. This cross piece has at the center a peg or projection 9 which passes through a suitable hole in the r il 3 and slightly projects above the bottom of the groove in the rail. At the other end the cross piece 9 abuts against a spring 10 mounted on a guide rod 9". This arrangement, along wit-h a guiding bolt 11 engaging in a slot 8 in the projection 8, insures the regular lowering of the cross piece 9 (Fig. 2) when a pressure is exerted on the peg 9 in a manner to be subsequently described. On the horizontal arm of the bell crank lever 1 and near its fulcrum there abuts a pin 12 passing freely through a hole in the rail 3 and prevented from escaping by means of a lateral projection 12 on the pin; the pin 12 also projects slightly from the bottom of the rail groove.

The members attached to the vehicle, adapted to directly actuate the first part above described of the mechanism connected to the track, consist essentially (Figs. 5 and 6) in a slipper with a roller 13, arranged half way between two supporting wheels 14 of the vehicle 15 and in alinement with the groove of the rail 3 (see Fig. 6). This roller 13 which by means of its supporting rod 13 is capable of sliding vertically, is held up normally by means of a spiral spring 13 but can be lowered to the bottom of the rail groove by either one of the pedals 16 disposed preferably in the platforms of the vehicle and connected by a series of bellcrank levers 1718 and draw-rods 19 to the slipper rod 13. It is evident that any other method of actuating the roller 13 will be equally serviceable. Thus for example in vehicles in which the brakes are controlled by a fluid under pressure, this fluid may with advantage be used also for the actuation of the slipper roller 13 the rod 13 of which is then provided at the upper end with a piston 20 (Fig. 7) working inside a cylinder 20, the fluid under pressure being introduced at the top of the cylinder at the desired instant, through pipes 20".

The second part of the mechanism connected to the track is shown in detail and diagrammatically in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, and in one of its numerous practical constructions in the corresponding Figs. 18, 19 and 20. The essential member of this second part of the mechanism is a four armed star wheel or cross 33 mounted loosely on a pin 22 attached to a cross member 23 arranged below a rod 2 1 connecting the points 25, 25 of the track. The cross 33 is given, as will be subsequently seen an intermittent rotary motion always in the same direction as indicated by the arrows in Figs. 9 and 19, each intermittent movement being through a quarter revolution. The cross is prevented from moving backward by a pawl 39 which co6perates with a ratchet wheel 40 fixed on the pin 22. During its intermittent movements the cross 33 encounters with one of its teeth, one or other of the stops 34C, 3% provided 011 the central ring shaped part of a sort of bolt 34 adapted to slide in fixed supports-35. The stops 34 34 can be re placed when worn. The intermittent rotations of the cross 33 cause alternative right and left displacements of the bolt 34. In its turn this bolt 34 displaces the points 25, 25 which it controls with the aid of stops 36, 37 adjustably attached at 38 to the rod 24, against which stops the end of the bolt 3-1 abut. The intermittent rotary movement of the cross 33 is effected by means of the hereinafter described automatic return pawl mechanism. This pawl mechanism comprises a plate 21 mounted loosely on the pin 22 and connected by means of its pin 21 projecting from its lower face, to a rod 26 which is connected at one end to a tension spring 27 fixed at 28 to the cross member 23, and is jointed at the other end to one arm of a bell crank lever 29 fulcrumed at 30, the other arm of the said lever being attached to the draw rod 4 of the first device attached to the track (see also Fig. 21). The plate 21 is provided with a spring pawl 32 which engages with a ratchet wheel having four teeth and mounted loosely on the pin 22 but rigidly connected to the cross 33. The dimensions of the difierent members are such that when the bell crank lever 29 and the rod 26 are moved from the position of Figs. 9, 19 to that of Figs. 10, 20, the plate 21 performs in the direction shown by the arrows, a rotation slightly greater than a quarter turn and consequently causes the cross 33 to rotate through about a quarter revolution. When the bell crank lever 29 and the rod 26 resume the position of Figs. 9, 19, which return is automatically effected by the spring 27, the plate 21 performs about a quarter turn in the direction opposite to the previous one that is in the direc tion of the dotted arrows in Figs. 10, 20. The pawl 32, sliding then over the teeth of the wheel 31 which remains fixed being at tached to the cross 33 which is blocked by the pawl 39 comes into engagement with another tooth of 31 and is ready to again cause rotation of the wheels 31, 33 through approximately a quarter revolution, at the next oscillation of the lever 29, and. so on.

The operation of the whole controlling mechanism is the following: When the vehicle arrives near the pin 9 (Fig. 1) the means for lowering the roller 13 are actuat-ed so that thls roller cooperates with the pin 9 to cause lowering of the cross piece 9 as shown in Flg. 2. During this lowering motion the oblique face 8 of 8 by acting on the pin 6" induces the recoil of the pawl 6 which frees the end of the bell crank lever 1. This lever under the pull exerted on the draw-rod 4 by the spring 27 which is in tension as shown in Figs. 10, and 20, is

forced into the position of Fig. 2 and raises the pin 12. Simultaneously the bell crank lever 29, the rod 26 and the plate 21 are brought back to the position of Figs. 9 and 19, ready to act on the wheels 31, 33. The first stage of the working of the mechanism is thus achieved. The position acquired by the lever 1 (Fig. 2) is retained until the flange 14 of the wheel 14 which immediately follows the roller 13, encounters the pin 12 and forces the same again downward, simultaneously lowering the lever 1 which is brought back to the position of Fig. 1, in engagement with the pawl 6. During the lowering of the lever 1 the weight of the vehicle exerts a powerful pull on the rod 4 the result of which is to effect displacement of the bell crank lever 29, the rod 26, the plate 24 and in conjunction with this latter the wheels 31, 33, to the position shown in Figs. 10 and 20. One of the teeth of 33 by acting on the stop 34 then displaces the bolt 34 to the left which bolt in its turn actuates the desired movement to the left of the rod 24 and the points 25, 25. The second stage of working of the control mechanism is thus achieved.

It is evident that by repeating the above mentioned operation the same stages of working are repeated. After the above described operation however the stop 34 will be in engagement with one of the teeth of the cross 33 and the bolt 34 along with the points will thus be moved to the right at the next operation, and so on.

It should be observed here that to obtain the above described operation of the pawl mechanism the stops 34 34 should be sufficiently long that they come out of engagement with the teeth of the cross 33 as soon as the displacement executed by the bolt 34 is equal to the half of its total movement in one direction or the other (see position marked in dotted lines in Fig. 9) otherwise the cross 33 could not effect its rotation of a quarter turn. It thus follows that the bolt 34 is effectively driven during the half only of its in vementand completes the other half owing to its own inertia and that of the parts, rod 24 and points 25, 25, which it actuates. The effecting of the second half of the said movement is effected not only by inertia, but also by means of the mechanism hereinafter described for restoring the points and maintaining them in one or other of their extreme positions. This mechanism inclosed in a box 47, comprises (Figs. 18 to 20) two lovers 41 fulcrumed in a horizontal plane on pins 42 and between two cones 42 which allow the levers to describe slight oscillations in the vertical. These levers 41 are held apart from each other at their ends by a spring 43 under compression and are provided at the other end with rollers 44 which according to the position of the points 25, 25 abut against one or other surface 45, 45" of a double wedge member 45 on the end of the rod 24. It is evident that when the rod 24 is displaced from one of its two positions to the other, during the first half of the movement the rollers 44 by sliding on one or other of the oblique faces 45 45, are separated; during the other half of the movement they again approach under the action of the spring 43 and by sliding on the other oblique face of 45 draw back the rod 24 and the parts attached thereto toward the end of the movement. It is also clear that any other restoring mechanism would be equally useful. The one hereinbefore described owing to its construction and particularly to the use of rollers 44, has great sensitiveness.

The main features of the control mechanism just described are the following: The displacement of the points from one posi tion to the other and back again is obtained by actuating only the slipper roller 13, this being in virtue of the automatic return of the mechanism which insures the displacement of the bolt 34 in one direction and the other successively. The effective displacement of the points is caused by the direct action of the weight of the vehicle acting on the pin 12, which insures the operation of the whole whatever may be the dead resistance. The displacement of the points is effected partially by inertia and also by the action of the mechanism for restoring the points to one or the other of their extreme positions, and it results that this displacement takes place even if the members positively causing the same, that is the cross 33 and stops 34 and 34", have undergone appreciable alteration owing to wear.

The displacement of the points independently of the control mechanism can be manually effected at any time by means of the usual rod or lever, there being no rigid mechanical coupling between the bolt 34- and the cross 33 which actuates it.

In the above described construction of the control mechanism the cross 33 has been assumed to have four teeth and consequently to move through a quarter turn at each actuation. It is evident that this member may have a larger or smaller number of teeth and rotate through a corresponding angle at each actuation. Thus in the case of Figs. 11 and 12 the member 33 and consequently also the wheels 31 and 40 have two teeth only. In this case the plate 21 having to describe a rotation of about 180, the rod 26 for actuating the same is in the form of a rack meshing with a too-thee wheel 21 attached to the plate.

It should be observed here that in practice, with a view to protecting the pawl mechanism from dust, mud, etc., it is advisable to give it the form illustrated in Figs. 18 to 20, and in detail in Figs. 13 to 17, according to which the plate 21 has the form of a boX inclosing the wheel 31 and its pawls 32 and springs 32 (see Figs. 13 and 15). The star wheel 33 forms with its base plate 33 the cover of the box and is connected to the wheel 31 by means of pivots 4L6 (see Fig. 17 which is a vertical section of the whole at the line 17 17 of Fig. 14). The ratchet wheel 10 attached to the pin 22 by mean of the key 40 is lodged in a boring in the cover 33 (see Fig. 16 which shows the whole in vertical section at the line 13 13 of Fig. l t). The pawls 39 controlled by springs 39 are arranged in radial direction in the cover 33. It should also be observed that the members constituting the first part of the mechanism connected to the line are arranged on the same side of the line for all changes of the points. Consequently if the vehicles for running over the track have to perform only an outward and return journey, a single slipper roller 13 arranged on the appropriate side of each vehicle will be sufficient, but if the vehicles have to be turned around each vehicle must be provided with two slipper rollers 13 placed one at each side. It is obvious that the mechanism for positively actuating the same, consisting of the bolt 34 and the pawl mechanism, instead of being arranged in the center of the track as shown, may equally well be located outside the rails. It should be noted lastly that the invention is not limited to the actual arrangements described and illustrated, as any modifications may be introduced as might occur to an expert to conform to particular circumstances or re quirements, without exceeding the scope of the invention.

Having now particularly described the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I de clare that what I claim is:

1. In a point changing mechanism for railways, a point reciprocating member, an operating mechanism for said member actuated by the ear wheels, restraining means for said mechanism and a cont-rolling means on the car cooperating with said restraining means for releasing said mechanism; said point reciprocating member comprising a bar rigidly connecting the two points, and abutments on said bar engaging with said operating mechanism.

2. In point changing mechanism for railways, a point reciprocating member, an operating mechanism for said member actuated by the car wheels, restraining means for said mechanism and a controlling element on the car cooperating with said restraining means for releasing said mechanism; said restraining means comprising a spring actuated depressible member, a projection on said depressible member normally situated in the path of said controlling element when the latter is in action, a spring latch actuated by said depressible member and normally engaging with said operating mechanism to keep it inactive.

3. In point changing mechanism for railways, a point reciprocating member, an operating mechanism for said member actuated by the car wheels, restraining means for said mechanism and a controlling element on the car cooperating with said restraining means for releasing said mecha nism; said operating mechanism comprising a slide contacting with said point reciprocating member, teeth oppositely situated on said slide, a star wheel located between said teeth and adapted to throw the slide in one direction when in engagement with the teeth on one side and in the opposite direction when in engagement with the teeth on the opposite side, ratchet gearing constructed to turn said star wheel in only one direction, a spring actuated rod positively connected wit-h said ratchet gearing, a bell crank at one end of said rod, a second bell crank adapted to oscillate in a vertical plane and. situated adjacent to said restraining means and constructed to normally engage therewith, an elastic connection between said two bell cranks, a stud resting on one arm of said second bell crank, said stud situated in the wheel track and normally below the level thereof, said stud being raised to contact with the car wheel by said second bell crank when released by said restraining means.

1. in point changing mechanism for railways, a point reciprocating member, an operating mechanism for said member actuated by the car wheels, restraining means for said mechanism and a controlling element on the car cooperating with said restraining means for releasing said mechanism; said point reciprocating member comprising a bar rigidly connecting the two points, and abutments on said bar engaging with said operating mechanism; said restraining means comprising a spring actuated depressible member, a projection on said depressible member normally situated in the path of said controlling element when the latter is in action, a spring latch actuated by said depressible member and engaging with the second bell crank of said mechanism; said controlling element comprising a spring actuated roller normally raised above the level of the track and levers and connections for normally operating said roller to contact with and actuate the projection on said restraining means; said operating mechanism comprising a slide contacting with the abutments on said reciprocating member, teeth oppositely situated on said slide, a star wheel located between said teeth and adapted to throw the slide in one direction when in engagement with the teeth. on one side and in the opposite direction when in engagement with the teeth on the opposite side, ratchet gearing constructed to turn said star wheel in only one direction, a spring actuated rod positively connected with said ratchet gearing, a bell crank at one end of said rod, a second bell crank adapted to oscillate in a vertical plane situated adjacent to said restraining means and constructed to normally engage with said spring latch of said restraining means, an elastic connection between said two bell cranks, a stud resting on one arm of said second bell crank, said stud seated in the wheel track and normally below the level thereof, said stud being raised to contactwith the car wheel by said second bell crank when released by said restraining means; whereby, on depressing said roller to contact with said projection of said restraining means said second bell crank will be released and oscillated by means of said spring actuated rod, the first bell crank and the elastic connection between said cranks, thereby raising said stud into the path of the car wheel; whereby the car wheel will again depress said stud swinging said second bell crank in the opposite direction to be reengaged with said spring latch and subsequently to turn said star wheel by means of the elastic connection the first bell crank and said rod and ratchet gearing in one direction, said star wheel thereby driving said slide and said bar in one direction to shift the points.

The foregoing specification signed at Turin, ltaly, this 17th day of November,

PAOLO PESTALOZZA.

In presence of two witnesses:

PIERO FANoLIo, JooELYN GoUBEYRAN.

Gopies or this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

